Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Historically it was a little unusual for the president to be an incoherent babbling moron.

“Loving your country does not mean lying about it’s history.”

Boeing: repeatedly making the case for high speed rail.

We will not go quietly into the night; we will not vanish without a fight.

If senate republicans had any shame, they’d die of it.

The republican caucus is covering themselves with something, and it’s not glory.

JFC, are there no editors left at that goddamn rag?

We’ve had enough carrots to last a lifetime. break out the sticks.

I’d hate to be the candidate who lost to this guy.

Come on, man.

Teach a man to fish, and he’ll sit in a boat all day drinking beer.

In my day, never was longer.

You can’t attract Republican voters. You can only out organize them.

Jesus, Mary, & Joseph how is that election even close?

Our job is not to persuade republicans but to defeat them.

Republicans do not pay their debts.

Wow, you are pre-disappointed. How surprising.

Battle won, war still ongoing.

Republicans are the party of chaos and catastrophe.

Even though I know this is a bad idea, I’m off to do it anyway!

Despite his magical powers, I don’t think Trump is thinking this through, to be honest.

Bad people in a position to do bad things will do bad things because they are bad people. End of story.

Seems like a complicated subject, have you tried yelling at it?

… riddled with inexplicable and elementary errors of law and fact

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Morning Reads

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Morning Reads

Podcasts have the business model that you can access them for free but you have to tolerate ads.  Legacy media is so locked down that they don’t even give you one or two free page views a month.

For those of you who are interested in YouTube / TikTok feminist yv_edit’s take on why white women voted the way they did, here it is. (That’s a TikTok link, she only crossposts some of her videos on YouTube.).  In the comments yesterday, some of you didn’t like that she began with a Nick Fuentes video (the guy who goes on and on about “Your Body, My Choice”).  There’s no video like that in this post from her.

James Joyner at OTB (there’s a blast from the past) has a long post with a lot of interesting takes on the media environment.

Marci Wheeler includes this in her analysis:

WSJ has a piece describing the collapse of both legacy media and cable news. Of particular note: the referrals to legacy media started collapsing in 2023; but we know that was an intentional choice made by some of the richest men in the world to change their algorithms.

I think what she means is that social media sites tuned their algorithms to stop sending referrals to legacy media in the 2023 timeframe, but I don’t subscribe to the WSJ. It’s an interesting point, but even if something happened in 2023 that made it worse, when the advertising model collapsed and the subscription model took over, there was an inherent structural tension between the needs of social medial (keep everything in our walled garden) and traditional media like the Post and NYT (who want subscriber revenue).  You can’t keep everything in your walled garden while at the same time posting content that people can only read with a subscription.  So you tune your algorithm to news aggregators or right-wing “news sites”.  I’m not trying to excuse the social media oligarchs, just to explain it.

Finally, someone a while ago posted a Balloon-Juice “starter pack” for Bluesky.  Since we’re seeing a migration from Xitter after the election, could that person put it in the comments again, and maybe we’ll be able to add it to the sidebar.

Reader Interactions

77Comments

  5. 5.

    George

    Just a shout out to Nukular Biskits and Baud, both of whom are my blog commenting heroes. I’ve appreciated your spot-on analysis over the past few days in particular. Verily I am not worthy to gather up the crumbs under your tables, but I think you, and a few others, understand why what happened happened and what we are up against in the near term and well into the future.

  10. 10.

    Nukular Biskits

    @George:

    Just a shout out to Nukular Biskits and Baud, both of whom are my blog commenting heroes.

    Uh, you feeling okay, George?

    I’m a dis-regular commenter here who, quite often, drops off for days at a time due to my work sked.

    Baud, on the other hand, is a frequent commenter and a-hole who regularly makes me spray coffee (or other beverage) through my nose and onto the keyboard. FUCK THAT GUY!🤣

  12. 12.

    George

    @Nukular Biskits:

     I recall reading a few of your comments–at least I think they were yours–yesterday in particular that laid out a good notion of what happened and why.

    I don’t think I dreamed up those comments. Perhaps I did, and perhaps those dreams foretold the sort of stuff you would post eventually?

  13. 13.

    Nukular Biskits

    One more thing:

    Finally, someone a while ago posted a Balloon-Juice “starter pack” for Bluesky. Since we’re seeing a migration from Xitter after the election, could that person put it in the comments again, and maybe we’ll be able to add it to the sidebar.

    For the less technically savvy Jackals, it would be of HUGE benefit to have someone provide a primer here about Bluesky.

    I went there primarily because of a recommendation from someone else here (you, mistermix?) and one of the local independent journalists I followed on the NOW-SHITTY-SITE-THAT-SHALL-NOT-BE-NAMED.

    Problem is, despite being an engineer in a highly technical field for almost 40 years, the move has been less than smooth for me.  I’m sure I’m not the only person experiencing this and given a lot of like-minded folks here are making that same move, I think this is  needed.

  14. 14.

    Elizabelle

    Mousebumples put together the BlueSky starter pack a few days ago.  Might be the link baud provided at 2; no idea.

  17. 17.

    Nukular Biskits

    @George:

    I appreciate the kind words, but there are others here with FAR more insight and eloquence.

    About the only reason you’ve seen so much of me the past couple of days is because I’m under the weather, grumpy, and irritated about not being about to go anything outside.

  18. 18.

    Nukular Biskits

    @WereBear:

    What I’d like to also see is some kind of requirement, at least on a state level here in MS, that elected officials post on other social media platforms, not just Twitter and Facebook.

    That is about the ONLY reason I originally opened my Twitter account; i.e., to follow and interact (although that’s misleading) with elected officials.

  19. 19.

    Mai Naem mobile ¹

    @Baud: I usually see you as the positive even keeled person around here. The past few days are the first time I’ve seen you be quite negative. I personally find that kind of worrying.

  20. 20.

    Citizen Alan

    @Nukular Biskits: You’re a commenter I always look for to get an insight into what’s going on in my ex-home state.

    Speaking of which, I don’t know if I mentioned it to anyone, but I have sold the RWNJ sister on the idea that, with a government shutdown possible on Dec 20, I can’t risk flying back to Mississippi and getting stranded. And she is becoming more amenable to selling some or all of the land. She actually wants to buy me out on a chunk of it, and sell another chunk to a cousin. Mom’s house is still problematic.

  21. 21.

    Mai Naem mobile ¹

    Driving around the past few days in the Phoenix area, tfg winning has really emboldened the trumpers to out themselves. Pre election I had seen maybe 3 trucks over the last flying the stupid tfg flag. I’ve seen 4 trucks in the past few days Two big flags on contruction cranes.. Seen more bumperstickers. Even saw an old guy wearing a ‘She wants this’ t-shirt with tfg’s head. It’s disgusting.

  22. 22.

    Ohio Mom

    Something else that changed the media environment is local papers are dying, in part because of forces out of their control — anybody remember combing the classified want ads for jobs? — and also because new owners wring out every penny for themselves and left the papers mere skeletons of themselves.

    There is hardly anybody left on the local level to do any real investigative reporting.

  24. 24.

    hrprogressive

    Ramdas makes a good point, but he’s omitted a little bit of the conversation.

    It’s one thing to want to watch or pay for news and/or opinion you actually want to hear or read.

    But I’ve stopped binging cable news for multiple reasons over the last few years, and I wouldn’t give my money to legacy media because I am no longer the target audience.

    I don’t want bullshit bothsideserism or sanewashing of Fascism.

    I want two things:

    1) Objective Facts – when it comes to stuff like “hard news”. AKA – COVID19 data, economic data, “just the facts” reporting on (insert any other subject here) and

    2) Opinions and thoughts that – if they aren’t explicitly left of center are at least honest about calling out obvious bullshit.

    And the thing is, the legacies are literally doing the opposite of this, and there aren’t any Podcasters with the reach of a Rogan yet that are opposite of his views.

    Those are the things that need to change if what passes for liberal/progressive/leftist thought, policy, action, is ever going to survive the oncoming Fascist hellstorm.

    A lot of normies don’t even realize the massive imbalance, and, because all they give a shit about are too many brown people and how much things cost, they don’t care.

    But they might care if there was someone easily accessible to tell them otherwise.

  25. 25.

    Sure Lurkalot

    We know who won and who lost; and it’s legitimate to ask questions about what failed. But it seems far more important to take a longer and deeper look at what “succeeded.”

    As Susan Glasser reminded us, the campaign embraced by a solid majority of American voters “was the most vicious campaign of lies, misogyny, racism, and xenophobia ever waged.”

    This is what “worked.” This is what “won.” That seems like a bigger story than what failed.

    At least as big and I can’t believe it was a fuckwad (you’ll never guess) who penned this while so many Democrats are tearing into every move the party has made since Nixon.

  28. 28.

    Melancholy Jaques

    We need to be less concerned with where people get their news from and more concerned with where they get their narratives from. By narratives I mean the assemblages of beliefs and experiences they use to make sense of themselves, other people, and the world. The narratives act as interpretative filters and at times barriers to information that is presented to them.

  31. 31.

    [email protected]

    I didn’t like the part of feminists_yv’s Tik Tok that showed Nick Fuentes offensive rant, but I needed to see that so I know what’s going on with younger women. I sent the link to the Tik Tok to one of my nieces and she said she didn’t know who he was, and now she does,  but also that she’s heard of other men screaming that at younger women. I’ve reached the age of invisibility, so no one will scream that at me, but I’m more worried for my nieces. Holy cow, those people are awful.

  37. 37.

    [email protected]

    @MagdaInBlack: I feel sorry for the girls that will grow up with that, and the girls and women who will have to deal with that for however long it takes to get Roe back in place. That will probably be a long time. I think I’m going to go crawl back under the covers for a while.

  39. 39.

    snoey

    @hrprogressive: The Rogan show is a medicine show. He makes his money selling “supplements”. The rest is to bring in the marks. One of the reasons the left can’t copy it is that nobody decent would.

  40. 40.

    CaseyL

    The slow and then sudden decline of mainstream news media leaves us with a profoundly ignorant populace that believes in poppycock, and an MSM that purveys poppycock because it “sells.”

    This is really fascinating.  As the last 10 years have been an object lesson in how Nazis “happen,” the next few years are going to be a history lesson on how Dark Ages happen.

    In the West, that is.  I wonder what will happen in Asia, and particularly in China, where – say what you will about the current regime – they have a millenia-long tradition of planning for the very long term, and tend to value education over ignorance.

  41. 41.

    Mousebumples

    @Librarian: I can refine it. I think I pulled people I saw front pagers posting. I also haven’t touched it post election, so if he did/said something shitty, I missed it.

    https://go.bsky.app/Vd5CXK3

    Even if you’re not new to bsky, you can still just follow all (or pick and choose) from any starter pack. I tend to over follow and then unfollow if someone is not to my taste. Without an algorithm, you only see the people and lists you follow, and anything they push your way.

    I’ll try to pull some suggestions for How To Bsky, but I feel like there was a post about how to bsky awhile back that helped me in the BJ archive, too. I think by Major x4?

  44. 44.

    Nukular Biskits

    @Citizen Alan:

    @Nukular Biskits: You’re a commenter I always look for to get an insight into what’s going on in my ex-home state.

    I wish I was more plugged in than what I am.

    Most people simply do not have the time to track what kind of bullshit elected officials are up to and those elected officials count on that.

  45. 45.

    Mousebumples

    In response to a question on how to find labelers. This can help to highlight (or hide) specific posts, depending on your interests.

    You subscribe to the labeler(s) and then follow directions to either have labeler as Off/Show Badge/Hide. For self reporting labelers (eg pronouns), there is usually a post you Like ❤️ to have that label assigned to you.

    https://bsky.app/profile/mousebumples.bsky.social/post/3lajoxd3cjo2g

    You can probably search. Bluesky Elder is assigned based on when you join.

    I’ll 🧵 a few more there that I like…

  47. 47.

    Mousebumples

    https://bsky.app/profile/alancerny.bsky.social/post/3lacpz6js642z

    This may be helpful for you new followers. You can block every single person on these lists. Just click on the subscribe button and it will give you the option to block every one on it. Here’s the first: https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:e4elbtctnfqocyfcml6h2lf7/lists/3l53cjwlt4o2s

    This is a 🧵 with more suggested. You can mute vs block, if preferred and then block if someone engages you in their bs – your call.

  50. 50.

    greengoblin

    I couldn’t even get through that Joyner article. Had about enough of privileged white men talking about how Dems need to abandon certain groups and DEI has to wait. How brave of them to serve up other people for sacrifice.

    And Fetterman yammering on about how he likes Rogan and thinks he should be promoted and Dems should go on his show – he can fuck all the way off. Saying you don’t agree with the Klan but like them and think they should be promoted is just as bad or worse than putting on the robe and hood.

  53. 53.

    Mousebumples

    My general bsky tips –

    • Follow a TON of people. No algorithm, so you only see what is posted by people you follow or what they reskeet.
    • https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:z3kpwld75x5aj2f7jyhuwjrw/feed/Jackals – Balloon Juice jackals feed. You can follow this without needing to follow all the Juicers, if you want
    • There are tons of feeds generally, and I think it’s fairly searchable. Find what interests you!
    • Since there’s no algorithm, if you want to share something with your own followers, you need to reskeet or quoteskeet. Liking is great… But that isn’t shown to your followers, typically (*there may be a setting to turn that on but I have that off)
    • Check out all the settings. I have a WARN IF ALT TEXT MISSING thing turned on so if I try to post an image or GIF, I remember to make it accessibility friendly.
    • Be sure to check out your default DM and autoplay settings so they match what you want.
    • Block lists are public; mute lists are not. Block as you want – the nuclear block is great. But just something to be aware of.

    I’m sure I’m forgetting stuff, but hopefully all these guides help you get acclimated.

    You’ll find your # to follow sweet spot, but I’m following 2K people, though I’ve been here over a year at this point…

  56. 56.

    Starfish

    The big tech companies like Facebook were messing with smaller companies and forcing them to take up models that they were not designed for if they wanted to stay relevant. For example, a lot of journalists had to take up videography because posts without videos would not be boosted. Then those websites started messing around with bigger journalistic ventures AFTER all the tech companies had syphoned off all the ad dollars that journalism relied on to survive.

    Also, the feminists tired of Nick Fuentes’s bullshit doxxed him. BoingBoing doesn’t dox him, it just makes us aware of it.

  57. 57.

    Mousebumples

    @Nukular Biskits: haha, yup. One thing I forgot to mention – I usually just use my following feed at this point. Popular with Friends is a great feed fit newbies of things people you follow like. Discover might be better now than it was when I joined a year ago (<1 mil users vs >10 mil users), but that mostly didn’t give me anything useful then and I haven’t looked at it since.

    Also, if you miss Black Twitter –

    https://bsky.app/profile/theferocity.bsky.social/post/3laku5byolm2u

    Reskeet and recommend two brilliant black women to follow.

    I’ll go first: @sorayamcdonald.bsky.social

    @reetamac.bsky.social

    Look at replies and quotes to get tons of great Black Women to follow. Some I remember from Twitter and some are new to me. Looking forward to seeing what I learn from them.

    Also there’s a BlackSky feed, I think, too.

  59. 59.

    Mousebumples

    @Nukular Biskits: haha, you ask, I (over) deliver.

    There’s probably some duplication in recommendations, but copying over what other people already put together is about all I could handle right now. Ish.

    Take care of yourself, everyone.

  64. 64.

    Starfish

    yv_edit’s take was very good and wise beyond her years. There is something about her monotone that makes it hard for me to listen to her, but the content was A+

  65. 65.

    Starfish

    @greengoblin: Fetterman is making a space for poorly educated bros. Those poorly educated bros desperately need a space that they can be in and be comfortable in.

    Rogan is not great, definitely voted for Trump, but he is far better than folks like Fuentes and Andrew Tate.

    When we have too many aggrieved young men, we have to ship them off to war or they WILL destabilize society so SOMEONE needs to help create a happy space for them.

  66. 66.

    Mousebumples

    @Librarian: haha, definitely not. I figured if I only included Juicers in the pack, there might not be much to read, so I included some other nyms I thought would be popular among our crowd too.

    Glad to hear he hasn’t turned heel post election.

  68. 68.

    No Nym

    Dead thread, but I gotta say it somewhere: This morning I watched the video posted up top here and read the articles. Then I went for a walk to get unplug and NOT think about things for a while. I rarely take my phone when I go for walks. I was not two-tenths of a mile from my own door when two dude-bros in a little orange sportscar pulled up near where I was walking in the apartment complex where I live. I paid them no attention and was at least 50 feet from them, but as they were getting out of the car, I heard a catcall. I looked around. I was the only person even outside as far as the eye could see. Nothing like this has happened in the ten years I have lived here. As a 63-year-old woman, I am not naïve enough to think they were whistling because they thought I was attractive—it was sarcastic, and meant to convey their understanding of the new reality. They were letting me know that I was just an object for them to judge and harass. I turned around and stared at them from a safe distance, weighing whether or not to confront them directly. One of them stared back for a long moment. If they had decided to beat me up or worse, chances are very good I would find myself with no recourse. So, first lesson, ALWAYS take my phone with me when I am outside so I can document things. It may be okay for men to “unplug,” take a walk, go outside and enjoy the day, but any girl or woman of any age can expect to be subjected to this shit. When I got to the nearby park, every woman who was without another human had at least one big dog with her and none of them  were making eye contact with other people. Like Stephen Colbert said, “We’re going back!”

  70. 70.

    greengoblin

    @Starfish: Understood. Thank you.

    I still think Fetterman could promote a less toxic safe space. It is not safe for Rogan’s targets. He doesn’t care because his privilege protects him.

    Lots of young men blew off steam during Krystallnacht, but leaders shouldn’t recommend it as a viable course of action. Same with January 6. But since that action was aimed at Fetterman and his fellow Senators, I doubt he would promote it so cavalierly.

  73. 73.

    No Nym

    @zhena gogolia: While I was sorting out why I felt so pissed about the behavior of these guys, I thought of all the Take Back the Night marches I was in, the conversations I’ve had with men and boys in my life about sexist behavior, the failure of the Equal Rights Amendment to pass when I was a teen, how my country has given the finger to two highly qualified women candidates. A lot of women hate women as much as men do.

  75. 75.

    hrprogressive

    @snoey: ​
     

    I understand your point, but given the reach and the audience and the depth of his show, it seems clear to me he didn’t build an audience that is solely there to buy whatever he’s shilling.

    He’s there pontificating and/or interviewing people in addition to whatever he’s hawking.

    The left needs to build pontificating platforms that don’t involve snake oil, obviously.

  76. 76.

    hrprogressive

    @No Nym: ​

    @Kayla Rudbek: ​
     

    I am begging all women to take advantage of the 2nd Amendment.

    Research, learn how to use one, learn how to carry, learn how to use it.

    I understand it’s scary and not without risks. I do understand.

    But the world we live in is about to scarier for everyone if we don’t all take steps to ensure “We’re not going back” is backed up, if necessary.

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